Do you guys think Libby thought Russert...

[Sir Jeffrey]

was a "team player"? I caught something on Hardball, namely that Libby was so bright and intelligent yet he lied about his conversation with Russert...which was easy to demonstrate as a lie. That seemed out of character for someone with great attention to detail.

That gives me the impression that Libby and others thought they could pressure Russert into going along with their "story" about Plame being well-known AFTER Libby lied to the GJ. Russert may have been offered a sweetheart package from the rightwing since, after all, it is only a lie if they get caught. Then when Russert wouldn't go along with it, it left Libby and "Official A" in deep shit...which explains their repeated trips to "clarify" their testimony.

No insider knowledge here...just caught something on Hardball and wanted to see if anyone has any comments.

If that is true, Russert deserves a hearty thank you for not selling the American people out.

[kikiek]

1. I think he thought the investigation wouldn't go that far. He bet wrong.

He was cornered really though. Had to lie or admit it.

[Sir Jeffrey]

3. I thought that at first too, but Fitz had a reputation...

that would have led anyone to suspect he would go as far as the law allows. If you haven't, look at what he did in Illinois with former Gov. Ryan (I know about it because I used to live there) about the bribery claims. I think Libby had to know that if he couldn't get Russert to go along with him, he was screwed.

[kikiek]

7. A former repug AG on CNN this AM complained (!) that once Ashcroft

recused himself he lost control. The WH no longer had control over what crimes should be charged or overlooked. Like this was anything that should be overlooked! His lying could be covering up for many more WH officials. It will be interesting to see if he is willing to go to prison for the others.

[Sir Jeffrey]

11. Ashcroft recusing himself was key, but why did they pick Fitz?

Didn't they know he was a pitbull? I am still amazed they chose this guy. Any rightwing crony they could've picked would have packed it in a year ago with zero indictments and no finding of wrongdoing. Again, this doesn't make any sense unless they thought they had their ducks in a row and could get away with it by group lying (including Russert).

Maybe they were just so damned arrogant they thought they coud get away with anything, but I still think they thought Russert would play ball. Hell, he might be protecting others, as you say, but I just don't see it given his testimony before the GJ (Did you talk to Libby about Ms. Plame? No. Thank you, Mr. russert).

[kikiek]

13. I think arrogance is it. They had gotten away with everything until

now. God only knows what all these people have done. Might not be good for our health to know it all, but damn I demand to!

[complain jane]

2. Yeah I thought that was bizarre too.

I hadn't thought of the 'team player' aspect of it, just figured they were trying to blame reporters and probably didn't care what happened to the reporters as a result.

After all, who can forget about the aspens being joined at the roots.

[Duer 157099]

4. Perhaps he thought Russert was an aspen n/t

[Sir Jeffrey]

5. Yeah, and they were "turning"...makes sense n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Russert is a WH whore who just didn't want to serve time for them.

That's all. I'm sure he'll continue his shilling on Sunday.

[Sir Jeffrey]

8. Perhaps he was pissed about the way his show was used...

in the run up to the illegal wars. I'm not disputing his "whore-ness", I'm just saying that if my intuition is right about this, he could have easily sold us all out for a mint and we'd have zero indictments. And he'd get whatever scoops previously were destined for Talon News :)

[KC21304]

9. I think it was a combination of thinking Asscroft

would be able to take care of it, and then thinking the reporters would not have to talk about their conversations with their sources, so Libby thought he could get by without the reporters finding out the BS he was telling the investigators.

[Sir Jeffrey]

12. Perhaps Miller, Russert, etc. thought Fitz didn't have...

the balls to throw them in jail for contempt. But I still don't see how one could conclude that knowing how Fitz has been in the past. I'm just a mere citizen and I knew Fitz was hardcore. You have to think that they knew at least that much about him.

[t73rvo]

10. what were they thinking? biz as usual....propaganda reiterated

Sad sign really, that the MSM would continue to repeat without question propaganda as fact. This reprieve will be temporary if we don't demand an end to corporate control and institute anti-trust laws.

[newyawker99]

21. Hi t73rvo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bklyncowgirl]

14. It was the lamest of all possible lies. I have another theory.

What if Scooter is the designated fall guy?

He tells the FBI an easily disproved lie. The special prosecuter charges him with perjury and then everyone goes home.

Scooter gets a golden parachute with some GOP firm while he's awaiting trial (which conveniently gets postphoned) and then shortly before Shrub leaves office he gets a presidential pardon and gets off scot free.

One fly in the ointment seems to be--Fitzgerald doesn't look like he's going home any time soon. They may have screwed up bigtime in their choice of prosecutor.

[Sir Jeffrey]

17. I thought about this too, but one thing bugs me about it...

What does Fitz have if Libby tells the truth about Russert? The current charges are obstruction, perjury and FS...but without the lie, Fitz only has obstruction (and that's a maybe at best).

Libby's lie doesn't do much to exonerate anyone. Libby could have taken the fifth.

I can't see why Libby would voluntarily take the fall here by intentionally lying when he could've kept his mouth shut and probably beaten the charges. I understand your point from an Ollie North good soldier type perspective, but I'm saying that Libby's lie doesn't really protect anyone...it only damned him and drew more attention to the issue of who the others are.

BTW I totally agree that our scumbag president will pardon Libby and anyone else involved. He's a bastard like that.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

15. Maybe this is why Russert has been so nervous lately? He

didn't follow the game plan????

[Sir Jeffrey]

18. Yeah, he seemed like he was awfully interested in ...

getting his side of the story out this morning. Maybe he's been getting credible RW threats???

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Russert lied, too.

Just my spidey sense.

[Garbo 2004]

19. Libby was locked into his basic story in 2003 when he talked to

investigators under Ashcroft.

There was no grand jury, no subpoenas for journalists, no blanket waivers of confidentiality. Likely the Administration thought the investigation would go nowhere with Ashcroft in charge.

But Ashcroft was "encouraged" by career DOJ staff to recuse himself (to avoid conflict of interest and being left open to possible allegations of obstruction when investigators started putting two and two together).

Fitzgerald took over the case and took it to a grand jury but by then Libby's story was memorialized in his statements to the FBI. What to do? Libby apparently tried to better shape his story as his memory was "refreshed" by Fitz. But still there was his flat out "Russert told me." Libby couldn't entirely retract that since it was the critical point of his story, "proving" his innocence. He was kinda stuck. Had to tough it out and hope Timmy wouldn't testify?

(Puzzling: why'd he pick Russert? Are they buds? Frequent contacts? Or he just figured it would never get to the point where his statement would be tested by a court? :shrug: )

But Fitz reached a deal with Russert. He only asked Russert about what he had said to Libby. He didn't ask for Libby's side of the conversation. Didn't ask the Timster to violate the confidentiality of a source. He wasn't trying to confirm whether Libby was a source for Russert, he was trying to see whether Russert was a source for Libby. Clever. http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/sort_of_serious_stuff/little_russ_and_the_prosecutor_23885.asp

I figure Libby boxed himself into a corner during the 2003 investigation and couldn't really significantly change his essential story without admitting he was a serial liar. And without incriminating others?

Maybe Libby's just taking one for the familia. ;)

[KC21304]

20. You've said basically what I tried to in #9 but

you have explained it so much better. He was counting on Russert et al not finding out what he told the FBI.